Gambling in Numenera

So a couple of my PCs wanted to see how much money they could make at a small village tavern. Anansi, (a charming jack who crafts illusions) and Nyssa (a graceful jack who explores dark places) decided to go gambling in between sessions. Here is how that went.

• 
  
• Nyssa
  *Before they settle in for the evening at the inn, Nyssa approaches Anansi.*
  Up for a little profiteering?
     
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi casts a quick glance at Stourm's room before nodding. "What did you have in mind Ms. Venau, lightening Mr. Fraiser's pockets perhaps?"
  (Little bit of background, Jamie Fraiser is a wealthy nano who leads and is part of their adventuring party. Last session, he was being a bit of a cheap skate and refused to pay for another character to rent a sea skimmer to go with the party. Nyssa ended up paying for him and later, successfully stole the shins from Jamie to reimburse herself for the trip.)
  
  
  Nyssa
  "No, I wouldn't want to hear the complaining the whole trip back. I was thinking games of chance... how are you at Guilty Poise?"
  ((Guilty Poise is just a made up game name))
       
  
  
  Anansi
  "He has so many shins I hardly think he'd miss them. But if you insist, I must warn you not to play against me. I find that games of chance always favor my hand.
        
  
  
  Nyssa
  "Then let us be on our way. We'll ask the inn keeper for the nearest tavern."
  *Nyssa heads toward the door*
       
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi follows Nyssa. "Do be sure to keep my name to yourself while we're about town."
  
  
        
  GM
  You go to the nearest tavern and see 3 people playing Guilty Poise (a card game that features bluffing and chance). If you ask to join, a scruff guy who smells of salt water and fish says it'll be 10 shins a piece to be dealt a hand.
  
  
  The bar also has a game similar to pool called Drift ball. It's played by throwing a small ball shaped oddity (called the Fitch) into the larger balls (called drift balls). The Fitch repels the drift balls so as to move them much more than you would expect from such a small object. The object is to get the drift balls in your opponents "goals" (holes on their end of the table). Two people are playing this game.
  
  
  There is also a derivative of darts that uses blowguns and has a variety of games associated with dexterity and precision. No one is currently playing this right now but you may be able to convince someone to play with you.
  
  
  Nyssa
  "Perhaps you should take the card game?"
  *Nyssa approaches the two drift ball players and watches intently.*
  
  
      
  Anansi
  Anansi slinks over to the card game and watches a hand, pretending she doesn't understand what's happening. She giggles and catches the eye of one of the players. "This looks like fun, do you mind showing me how to play?"
  
  
  GM
  Roll for the deception. With all your talents, it is a pretty easy roll. Int task.
         
  Anansi
  One
  sec
  need
  dice
       
  Anansi
  14
  
  
  GM
  The three card players (two guys and a girl) are buying the act hook, line, and sinker.
  A tall lanky guy on the table offers to show you the ropes.
  
  
  Anansi
  "You're such a gentleman"
  
  
  GM
  They introduce themselves. Jac (the big scruffy guy), Daris (the tall lanky guy), and Mar (a tall solidly built woman).
  
  
  Anansi
  "You can call me Lonnie. Now, what do I do with this hand?"
           
  
  
  GM
  He describes the basics of the game somewhat vaguely and says "you know it'll be a lot easier to learn if you just play a hand with us. What do you say? Ten shins; I'll deal you in?"
          
  
  Anansi
  Anansi rummages around in her shin... pouch (god that sounds awful) and pulls out 10 shins. She lays them down on the table. "O-okay, but go easy on me!"
           
  GM
  Roll a D20. Number determines how good your hand is. Higher the better.
  (For the card game, I rolled a d4 to determine how many people were playing the card game and again for their level. I figure for a low level tavern, a lv 4 NPC should be the highest skill one is likely to encounter. If she were to be playing with higher tier gamblers, then I would roll d4 +2 for each NPC to determine their gambling level and use that for everything related to deception or seeing through her deceptions. I even rolled a d100/2 to determine how much shins they had on them, but that proved to be a huge overestimation. Next time, I’d roll 1d6 for poor place, 1d20 for rich/middle income, and 1d100 for competitive gamblers.)
  
  Anansi
  16
  (Sure I can fucking roll to win a card game, but a battle?!)
  
  
  
  
  GM
  Roll an Int perception task (if you have any assets or skills to perception, empathy, or seeing thru deceptions let me know)
  
  
  Anansi
  Would sabotage count?
  
  
  GM
  Nope
  
  
  Anansi
  Can I flex skill perceiving deceptions?
  
  
  GM
  Since you haven't used it yet today, Yes you can.
  
  
  Anansi
  Okay, I will flex skill that then
  13
  
  
  GM
  You notice Jac trying to hide a smile, Daris is bluffing rather badly, and Mar had an annoyed angry look flash past her face when she saw her cards.
  
  
  Anansi
  I will deceive them into thinking I’m confused, but think my hand is bad. 13 (remember I have 1 in pos. social, 2 in deceive)
  
  
  GM
  Jac (trying to act nonchalant) says he's upping his bet by 5 shins. Daris matches, and Mar folds. Will you match?
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi matches.
  
  
  GM
  Jac ups it by 10 shins, Daris hesitates but finally matches. You?
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi looks to Daris, as though trying to determine what she should do based on his actions. (9) She matches.
  
  
  GM
  "Time to reveal hands."
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi watches everyone reveal their hands.
  
  
  GM
  "Your new, why don't you go first?"
  
  
  Anansi
  "Okay, I think this is pretty good right?"
  
  
  GM
  Do you show an illusion or your real hand?
  
  
  Anansi
   (I have no choice but to show my real hand if I don't know what they have, right? Unless there can be duplicates of what they have in their hands.)
  
  
  GM
  You can roll Int task to determine how familiar you are with the game. It is a common game so its difficulty 1 (target 3). If you pass you know what is unlikely to get you caught (meaning unless you roll a 1 on a d20, no one will know anything is amis). Then if you want to make an illusion you have to tell me what you want the illusion to be (#1-20 hand) and make a roll to successfully fool them diff 1 for you ( because of all the training and cuz these guys aren't bright).
  
  
  Anansi
  Okay 6 (no fail) and then I'll make it 18! Which will hopefully be high enough.
  
  
  GM
  Daris reveals a 5 and Jac who is beaming reveals a 19! (I actually rolled these values).
  
  
  Anansi
  "Oh darn! One more hand?"
  
  
  GM
  "Oh yes of course, your only learning after all "
  
  
  Anansi
  "Great! Hopefully I can get away without you taking too many of my shins Jac! You're really good at this."
  
  
  GM
  Jac is beaming after neatly doubling his money, Daris is looking pathetically at his wallet, and mar is looking mean and determined. They all decide to go in for another hand.
  Roll d20 for your hand.
  
  
  Anansi
  So, no lie, I actually rolled a 20.
  
  
  GM
  OK so I guess all you need to do is fool them into putting in all their money.
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi looks dejected for a few seconds before 'remembering herself' and trying to look a little more pumped. 18
  
  
  GM
  What's your perception roll?
  
  
  Anansi
  15
  
  
  GM
  Good, Jac is looking okay, not happy but not dejected either, Daris is down right pissed, and Mar looks like she is out for blood.
  
  
  Anansi
  (Pissed as in bad hand and out for blood as in bad hand??)
  
  
  GM
  Pissed as in bad hand. “Out for blood” as in she is ready to gouge people for all the money they are worth ( ergo very good hand and bad at concealing it).
  
  
  Anansi
  Gotcha
  
  
  GM
  Jac raises 5 shins, Daris folds, and Mar raises it to 10 shins, Jac thinks a bit and looking at Mar says "ehh I know that look, I'm out". You?
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi pushes in ten more shins. "What look?" she asks smiling cluelessly. 16
  
  
  GM
  Last betting round. She pours 20 shins. You can match (ending the round and forcing a reveal) or you can raise forcing her to raise or fold.
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi pushes in a matching bet. "I guess we should look now, right guys?"
  
  
  GM
  Mar enthusiastically reveals a 19 (not kidding actually rolled that).
  She looks positively livid when you show a 20...
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi smiles, still a little vapid looking. "I think this wins, right Daris?"
  
  
  GM
  Mar storms off, and Daris says " well I think that reaction says it all right there. "
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi gathers up all her shins (I hope you were keeping track because I have no clue how much I won). "Wow, this was a lot of fun! Thanks so much for showing me the ropes."
  
  
  GM
  You won 75 shins in the second game. You lost 25 in the first game against Jac.
  
  
  Anansi
  Not too bad
  
  
  GM
  your net is 50 shins.
  (I realized later that I gave these village fishermen way too much money. Laborers only make 1-2 dollars a day, so they shouldn’t have had more than 10 shins on them. Later I let Anansi know this and we laughed about how lucky she was and how if she ever wanted to make out with so many shins again, she’d have to try her luck at a higher end table in the city. Of course, the NPCs will be much harder to beat there.)
  
  
  Anansi
  Anansi smiles and bows out of the table. She approaches Nyssa. "How have your games been going?"
  
  
  Nyssa
  (We shall see)
  
  
  GM
  We shall
  
  
  Anansi
  Now or tomorrow?
  
  
  Nyssa
  Tomorrow
  
  
  GM
  yea its getting late.
  isn't gambling fun!
  Maybe next time you can play at a high stakes table at one of the Aian Taverns...
  
  
  
  
  Of Course Nyssa also wanted to play a game too. I wasn't sure how to make this game as exciting as Guilty Poise was to play. I decided that we would simply do 3 rolls each. After each d20 roll, whomever got the higher value would score a point. If the player had a any training,  she would add 3 for each level of training in required skill set. Each round someone else goes first. If your opponent went first, you would have an advantage since you would know how well they did and know whether you need to spend effort on the game that round to beat them. Whomever had the most points at the end, wins. (I should add a coin toss in the beginning to see who goes first). Anyway, the player who plays Nyssa was in the same room as me, so I got to see all the rolls and we didn't have to text them via facebook. We called up Anansi and did the whole drift ball game over video chat. Nyssa almost lost, but a very convincing, well-placed illusion by Anansi, bought Nyssa the victory. They both ended up leaving through the backdoor because Anansi wasn't too keen on running into Mar anymore that night. 
  
  
  
  
• Here are some of my thought on this experiment:
• 1. Poor people in taverns should have less money. Laborers only make 1-2 shins per day! they shouldn't be carrying more that 10 shins on themselves unless they gamble professionally. 

  
  

  2. Role-playing gambling as a little mini-game out of session was fun. It encouraged player immersion and encouraged some PCs that didn't have a strong connection to bond over something. That being said, I wouldn't want to roll play every gambling session. Its just too many rolls and it would get old the second time around. If she wants to gamble, I'd have her roll 1d20. If she scores a 12 (-6 due to her specialties), she wins a sum of 1d10 shins total for the whole night. If she get fails, she loses 1d10 shins. This is basically saying that she is good enough to beat a lv4 gambler without role-playing. If she wants to make more money, she should play against higher level people. In that case, I'd actually role-play the whole game. It would more risky so I think it would actually be fun and exciting and require some effort expenditure.